Five teams that should trade for Dustin Byfuglien

Here are five teams that should make a trade offer for Dustin Byfuglien who is set to become the hottest name on the market. 

The NHL trade deadline is fast approaching and there is a lot of talent that teams occupying playoff spots will have their eye on. Jonathan Drouin may be the player with the biggest trade speculation, but he’s on an entry-level deal and other teams will perceive him as having an attitude problem. But as a big body, versatile puck-moving defenseman on an expiring contract, no player will be more coveted than Dustin Byfuglien. If not for a certain forward in Tampa Bay, his free-agent status could’ve been the biggest story of the season.

In fact, no team will be more coveted than the Winnipeg Jets. Both Byfuglien and Andrew Ladd are set to make a lot of money next season, and the team probably knows that they can’t keep both. Re-signing Byfuglien should be a bigger priority for them, but trading him makes sense from their perspective too. Well out of a playoff spot in the stacked Central Division, the Jets would get a lucrative return for Big Buff (at least a first-rounder and a prospect in most cases) while Byfuglien in turn will boost his value by playing on a contender. The Jets could even have a shot at re-signing him in July.

At age 30, Byfuglien is in the prime of his career. He currently has 30 points (15 goals and assists each) and can prove to be a valuable asset on a Cup-contending team – he already was when he helped the Blackhawks win it in 2010. Knowing that they might only get him for three months, teams will be wary about trading for Byfuglien especially knowing the king’s ransom they’ll have to give up to get him.

It’s not easy to move his $5.2 million contract either. But he’s an elite defenseman, and if teams want to keep him beyond this year’s playoffs, they will have to make a good impression.

With all that being said, here are five teams that should trade for him.

Next: 5: Florida Panthers